Barcelona crushed Valencia 7-1 on Sunday, delivering a dominant efficiency to rebound strongly of their La Liga marketing campaign.
Fermin Lopez struck twice for the Catalans within the first half, together with objectives from Frenkie de Jong, Ferran Torres and Raphinha which gave Barcelona a commanding five-goal lead on the break.
Hugo Duro pulled one again early within the second half earlier than Robert Lewandowski pounced for Barca, adopted by a Cesar Tarrega personal purpose, with the third-placed hosts incomes simply their second win of their final 9 league matches.
Hansi Flick’s aspect path La Liga leaders Real Madrid by seven factors and second-placed Atletico Madrid by three.
“I think in La Liga we were in a bad dynamic and we needed this win, it’s very important and now we have to keep fighting,” Lopez informed DAZN.
“The coach says everybody within the crew is necessary, and whoever is taking part in we have now to be as much as it – that is what being a crew is and that is how we will compete for the title.
“There’s still a long way to go and we will fight until the end.”
Flick shuffled his pack in opposition to Valencia with the intention to spark a response given the membership’s poor home kind.
The coach started with Lewandowski and Ronald Araujo on the bench, whereas Pedri was absent due to a abdomen bug, resulting in De Jong, Ferran Torres and the very good Lopez all beginning.
It took simply three minutes for De Jong to open the scoring, with teenage star Lamine Yamal crossing for him within the space just about unmarked, and he fired dwelling.
Barcelona quickly had their second, with Torres tucking dwelling from Alejandro Balde’s cross, similarly to the primary purpose however from the other flank.
The hosts moved three objectives forward within the 14th minute when Lopez clipped a nice ball excessive for Raphinha to run onto.
The Brazilian winger rounded Giorgi Mamardashvili and rolled dwelling for his twelfth league purpose of the season.
Valencia, with out the suspended Cristhian Mosquera, have been struggling badly in protection and Barcelona broke in seemingly at will.
Lopez collected a wonderfully measured Pau Cubarsi lengthy go for the fourth and though it was initially dominated offside, the choice was corrected by VAR.
Valencia thought they’d gained a penalty when Wojciech Szczesny introduced down Hugo Duro however play was finally introduced again for a foul on Jules Kounde after one other video evaluation.
Lopez rattled dwelling the fifth on the volley earlier than halftime when Raphinha’s effort hit the put up and fell properly for him with the goalkeeper stranded.
‘Angry and unhappy’
Hugo Duro pulled one again for Valencia earlier than the hour mark from Diego Lopez’s low cross and Flick responded by sending on La Liga’s high goalscorer Lewandowski.
The Polish ahead completed clinically for his seventeenth league purpose of the season after being despatched via by Lopez for Barca’s sixth on the evening.
Barcelona netted their seventh when Torres’ hammered cross was deflected into his personal web by Tarrega.
“For me, it was the perfect match,” Flick informed reporters.
“(Fermin) today showed how good he was … he attacked everything and defended very well, with the ball he was unbelievable.”
Seven objectives didn’t flatter Barcelona by any means and the beating is a setback for Carlos Corberan’s Valencia, nineteenth and 4 factors from security.
“I feel angry and sad for all the people who came to see us, all the fans watching at home, we have to say sorry because we weren’t up to the level of the game or the shirt that we represent,” mentioned Valencia defender Jose Gaya.
“It was an enormous step backward, we have to ask for forgiveness … we have to feel hurt after this, we can’t forget it, we have to focus that energy and rage into the next game.”
Earlier Athletic Bilbao, fourth, might solely produce a 0-0 draw at dwelling in opposition to Leganes, and now path Barcelona by two factors.
Relegation-battling Getafe earned a powerful 3-0 win at Real Sociedad to climb to 14th, whereas Rayo Vallecano got here from behind to beat Girona 2-1.
Source: www.dailysabah.com